Te Tatau o Te Arawa chair, Te Taru White, has offered the Māori Affairs Select Committee updating rating legislation that affects Māori land, advice on how to enhance the bill.

Mr White and the board’s executive officer, Jude Pani, appeared before the Māori Affairs Select Committee on Wednesday via video call. (03 June 2020)
The Local Government (Rating of whenua Māori) Amendment Bill intends to support Māori land development, provision for housing and updating the rating of whenua Māori.

Te Taru White told the committee he appreciates the intent of the bill but believes it doesn’t go far enough.

“In itself, it doesn’t meet all the needs of our people in the respect of future opportunities for co-design and future submissions that may impact on land and our people.”

He recommends arreas on freehold Māori land that remains in the name of a deceased person should be removed as family members are reluctant to inherit the responsibility of the land and debt.

Te Tatau o Te Arawa also made it clear that wāhi tapu and conservation land should be non-rateable.

If you’d like to watch the short presentation, you can see it HERE. (Fast-forward to 2 hr, 22mins, 31sec)

You can read the board’s submission HERE.